CITY BY-ELECTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20098, 8 November 1928, Page 10

CITY BY-ELECTION.

J WIN FOR MR. BLOODWORTH.

DECISIVE MAJORITY GAINED. MR LUNDON IN SECOND PLACE. Mr. Thomas Blood worth again becomes a member of tho Auckland City Council as the result of a comfortable victory in yesterday's by-election to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. F. W. H. Brinsdcn. Tho results on the provisional count were as follows: — T, Blood worth . « .« . . 4350 J It. Lundon 2870 H. D. Schmidt . . . 693 Majority for Mr. Bloodworth 1480 Polling was on the ordinary district electors' franchise, arid the total votes cast, out of a roll strength of 40,816, was 7829, or slightly over 19 per cent. On the transport poll in the city last week 4500 ratepayers out of 26,397 voted, equivalent to 17 per cent. At only 5 of the 31 booths did Mr. Bloodworth fail to secure a majority, Mr. Lundon leading in those instances, with Mr. Schmidt trailing the field at every booth, except at Kohimarama, where he shared second place with Mr. Lundon. Tho city voted strongly for Mr. Bloodworth. lie scored 626 against Mr. Lundon's 349 at tho Town Hall, whero Mr. Schmidt polled 139, his only three-figuio vote. At the Chamber of Commerce the respective figures were 535, 283 and 70, and at Leys Institute, PonsonJ>y, 422, 389 and 77.

In close polling at Point Chevalier Hall Mr. Lundon led Mr. Bloodworth by 157 to 146, and scored again at East Street, Newton, by 109 to 96. At St. Peter's, Archhill, Mr. Bloodworth narrowly turned the tables by 161 to 157. Mr. Lundon had further slight leads at St. Benedict's, Nowton, at Franklin Road, Ponsonby, and at Welch's farm, Tamaki. Discounting these minor advantages, however, were handsome majorities for Mr. Bloodworth at other suburban booths.

Having succeeded in polling moro than one-eighth of the successful candidate's total Mr. Schmidt is entitled to a refund of his £3 deposit. He had 1/30 votes to spare.

Until the municipal elections last year Mr. Blood worth had been a member of the City Council for eight years, topping the poll on the occasion of his last election. Ho resigned last year to contest the Mayoralty, hut was defeated by Mr. G. Baildon in a four-cornered contest.

Mr. P. J. Notley, returning officer, and his staff again upheld their reputation for issuing prompt returns, and the final figures were announced three-quarters of an hour after the closing pi the booths.